Be an Amazing, American K-pop Fan

A process analysis paper on how to become an American fan of the K-pop scene.

Submitted:Feb 26, 2013
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Be an Amazing, American K-Pop
Fan

The distinctive beats,
seizure inducing music videos, infectious dances, and crisp
staccato of foreign words spewing from the lips of overly
attractive people are all of the telltale signs that one has
ventured into the inescapable world of K-Pop. The description may
be confused with the likes of rap, jazz, or some new wave metal
techno1, but there
are many key factors that make K-Pop distinctively K-Pop. While
most of what escapes Lil' Wayne's mouth is indistinguishable by
nearly all English speakers, most would agree that the faces of
he and Gucci Mane aren't exactly GQ material, and jazz music
videos are pretty much non-existent. As for the mythical metal
techno, it is highly doubted that the dances accompanying that
genre are2 more so
sweaty, unorganized flailing of limbs than actual choreography.
For those that have distinguished that whatever foreign pop genre
they have stumbled upon is in fact Korean (hence, the K in
K-Pop), it usually decided whether or not this is something to
further indulge in. However, one does not simply dabble into this
scene, and the addiction to one song will inevitably lead to a
near dependency on the genre itself. Claiming to be a K-Pop fan
is simple, but to enjoy the experience of liking this foreign
music genre, one must understand what it takes to be anamazing,American K-Pop fan.

Step 1:
Develop the Proper State of Mind

There are many things that
can come in the way of becoming a fan. One of biggest and most
challenging is the fan-in-training themselves. Humans, in
reality, are ten pound brains operating slabs of meat The mind
itself can prevent a person from doing anything. It's best for
potential fans to not psyche themselves out. The brain's ability
to keep a person from doing something can be counteracted. There
are three fatal thoughts that can prevent one from becoming a
fan:

1. Korean
culture is too complicated.

Fans that are idolizing
outside of Asia are particularly prone to be confused, or maybe
even startled, at some of the things expressed through the music.
Of course, reading literal translations of songs or interviews
can be frustrating. Even dances some of the dances may seem
weird, but please, don't jump to conclusions and conclude that
girls are fanning their hands behind their bums to rid of a
flatulent odor. Keep an open mind, and do so some research. That
dance is based off of an old Korean saying that basically states
that a flirting women is "wagging her tail." Most of the answers
can be found even through the slowest of search engines. The
internet isn't all that scary.3

2. All
K-POP songs and artists are alike.

After the initial shock of
discovering K-Pop, it is best not to make any assumptions on what
other songs and artists will be like. Stumbling upon a Super
Junior video and figuring that all K-pop bands have thirteen
members4 isn't the
way to go. Most of the groups' formations are unique - not to
mention equipped with endless concepts. While mainstream music in
America rarely changes, K-Pop stays true to the term "popular".
The trends evolve. K-pop bands and artist incorporate other
genres in their style to make them distinct.

3. It's too
time consuming

Being a fan is not a race.
Learning some of the culture and discovering which bands seem
enjoyable may take some time, but it's not going anywhere. Music,
videos, programs, and interviews will be released, but no one
says that one must know everything. It's impossible. Don't try to
learn cram three years worth of K-pop knowledge inside that
precious brain. Get equipped with the essentials and take a deep
breath.

Step 2:
Prepare Your Pocket

For all of the survivors of
the hardest step, step two is kind of a warning. There is a huge
expanse of K-Pop merchandise. It's not the basic t-shirt and
poster deal. The urge to buy the most random items can actually
hit the stingiest of fans. A roll of decorative duct tape may
look appealing simply because it has bright colors and an
intricate artist logo on it. K-pop fans are it typically broke,
and the poor ones manage to get even poorer. It's not only a
music addition. It's a shopping addiction also. Living on a
budget? K-pop isn't the way to go unless a high level of
resistance is present.

Step 3:
Label Yourself

With an open mind and tight
wallet, it's time to start consuming the "meaty" knowledge. This
is what makes a K-pop fan strong. This music scene is
predominately bands. While there are soloists, the bands help
K-pop feel like a family. Naturally, the fans mimic this behavior
by idolizing in fandoms with special names. Majority of the bands
have official fan club names, while some do not. A fandom name
may have an extensive background or it may be a simple play on
words. TVXQ fans, for example, are named Cassies, after the
constellation Cassiopeia. The constellation consists of five
stars, just like the band had originally consisted of five
members. 2NE1 fans are cleverly called Blackjacks because the
band name pronounced fast enough sounds like the number 21. For
some bands, it's possible to go even further with labeling. Fans
with the same favorite member give themselves second
names5. It's also
possible to title oneself with multiple fandom names. Research
all of this information and remember it. It will come in handy
later.

Step 3: Use
Social Media

Especially for amazing
American k-pop fans, social media is our life line. A Tumblr,
Twitter, and YouTube account are the required minimum. Google
Chrome is the preferred browser for the best social media
experience. Install Tweet-deck and Xkit through the Chrome Web
store. This enhances tweeting and blogging on a completely
different level. Both apps eliminate a lot of hassle and cut down
on time. Any breaking news and translations in the K-pop scene
can monitored through these outlets. To easily reach out and
safely6
communicate, use the fandom names in the bio section of these
accounts to interact with fellow K-pop fans.

Step 4:
Learn the Lingo

The realm of social can be
terrifying if one can't understand anything that is put on there
- even if it is in the English language. K-Pop lingo is special
because it incorporates a lot of random Korean words in
conjunction with English. Learning the Korean language isn't
necessary, however. There are only a few phrases frequently used.
Below is a quick run down on some basic K-Pop lingo. Some if
fairly self explanatory.

Aegyo [eg/ee/yo] -
cuteness: the act of being cute

Bias - your favorite in a
group.

Hallyu - the Korean wave;
the increase of Kpop around the world

Hwaiting/Fighting! - a
phrase of encouragement

Maknae [mack/nay] - the
youngest (in a group)

Omo [oh/mo], Aigoo
[I/goo] - oh my gosh

Step 5: The
Wrap Up

There it is! All of the basic
things needed to be an amazing, American K-pop fan. There are
more things needed of course, like patience and online etiquette,
but things like this are fairly obvious.7 It truly takes an understanding
individual to not allow the cultural barriers to faze them.
Remember that you are now amazing fan, and have a reputation to
uphold, but you are not the great ones in the situations. K-pop
fans are not great. We leave that to our biases. Humble thyself
and happy fan-ing!

1That has hopefully
not been invented yet for the sake of the elderly and the
sensible youth.

2Would be...?

3Well, it's not if you
know what you're clicking on.

4That's the official
number, but even that depends on what music video one is
watching. Unofficially there are 15, but only about nine are
currently active.

5That's not true for
most bands. Very few will have official names for individual
members.

6Do not, I repeat, do
not give out any personal information. Other internationals fan
may be interested in learning about which country you're from,
but don't give them an exact address.